Johann Wolfgang Goethe

Johann Wolfgang Goethe(1749-1832) was one of the world's greatest writers and a universal genius. In addition to his plays, novels,and poetry he was a talented artist, actor and theatre director. He had a keen interest in science and in addition to his experiments and scientific writing he liked to involve himself in practical pursuits such as mining, economics, architecture, horticulture and landscape gardening.

The publication of his novel The Sorrows of Young Werther(1774) brought the twenty-five year old Goethe instant fame throughout Europe. His masterpiece is Faust (part 1 1808, part 2 1832) which he spent most of his life working on. It is a play of inexhaustible ambiguity and magical poetry with an immense panorama, reflecting the developing vision of a lifetime, with its comedy and tragedy, pathos, wit and satire.

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